There is a need, particularly in aircraft and aerospace installations, for compact and light weight power systems. Such power systems typically include a power converter that utilizes multiple high power switches having very high voltage and current ratings. Such power switches handle substantial amounts of power and thus dissipate heat which can adversely affect the performance of the switches and other electrical components in the vicinity thereof. The need to reduce system size and weight, however, greatly complicates the removal of such heat.
In addition, there is often a need to connect devices in parallel to obtain the required current handling capability. In order to maintain proper load sharing between parallel connected devices, lead lengths must be accurately controlled and kept as short as possible.
The foregoing considerations militate in favor of the incorporation of multiple high power components within a single package. In this way, compact assemblies that can withstand the high voltage and current levels required for proper operation can be fabricated in a small volume.
Typically, the package cannot be tested for operability until it is fully assembled. This fact creates a substantial probability that a faulty package will be produced since the incorporation of only one faulty switch into a package will render the entire package defective. This is undesirable, particularly in light of the fact that it may prove uneconomical to replace a faulty switch after it has been assembled in a package, thereby resulting in waste of operable components.